With the arrival of National Apprenticeship Week 2022, there’s no better time to celebrate our apprentices for all their hard work, motivation and achievement over the years.
There are many routes people can take into employment and sometimes apprenticeships can be overlooked. But apprenticeships are a great way of opening doors and putting people on pathways to exciting, new careers – especially ones they might never have heard of. Fresh out of school or simply looking for a change, apprenticeships are perfect opportunities for people to learn what’s out there and where their skills lie. Better still, they come without the burden of tuition fees!
It’s not just apprentices themselves who benefit, employers and local communities do too. At One Education, we’ve certainly found there’s lots to be gained from the talent and ambition that apprentices bring to a workplace. In return for our training and mentoring, we’re rewarded with a team of dedicated co-workers, equipped with the skills to succeed in the present, and the drive to prepare for the future. Definitely worth the investment.
Our apprentices’ progression is perfectly captured in this year’s theme for National Apprentices Week: “build the future.” At One Education, building the future goes hand in hand with our ethos of putting children first. Whilst the future is composed of many different parts, it is the next generation that sits at the heart of it. Everything else comes second to our children’s ability to thrive, and so that’s what we work hard to achieve every day. In the ever-changing environment of the education sector, we pride ourselves on our ability to innovate and adapt. And we couldn’t do it without the special expertise of our apprentices.
In order to applaud all their achievements, we wanted to put some of our past apprentices in the spotlight. Get to know them down below!
I started here as an IT apprentice after working full-time elsewhere for a couple of years. I wanted a change of profession, but most IT jobs wanted someone with experience even if they’d completed a degree related to the role. So, I decided to pursue an apprenticeship to gain practical experience as I was learning. There were a number of options, but I chose to come to One Education because they offered something different. I enjoyed being out and about around schools, it was much more engaging than being sat behind a desk all the time. However, the best thing about the role was the people, who gave me the chance to learn something new every day.
After the apprenticeship, I could have continued studying, but I continued my employment with One Education in a permanent position, knowing that anything else I needed to learn I could learn here on the job. My training prepared me for the future by opening up my career and showing me what I enjoyed. As well as giving me direction, I also gained a lot of people skills, which has been great for my progression, and meant I also received a promotion where I now manage people. The apprenticeship was way more valuable than anything on paper.
Jonathon Gandy, ICT Consultant
After college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so I didn’t want to go to university and waste three years studying something that I might not enjoy. I found out about the apprenticeship at One Education and thought it sounded like a good option. I already had a bit of background knowledge about the job because my mum has worked in payroll and I studied accounting at college. Plus, One Education seemed like a nice, relaxed environment and the people here were really friendly, so I decided to give it a go.
I loved learning something new every day and having the opportunity to interact with different schools. I was always busy with something to do, so I was never bored and that kept me motivated. Another good thing was the security, because I knew if the apprenticeship went well I’d get a job at the end of it. After I completed my training, I was offered a permanent position straight away. The apprenticeship was great because it showed me what kind of opportunities are out there and helped me decide how I want to progress in my career.
Alex Thornton, Payroll Officer
My interest in IT started back in high school. After learning as many skills as I could, I gained experience with a small IT security company when I was in Year 8, which gave me more insight into the industry. Once my careers advisor heard of my interest and developing IT skills, he put me in contact with the IT Service Delivery Manager at One Education, and that’s how I got the apprenticeship.
This was a great opportunity for me to learn even more about technology and further expand my knowledge in the field that I love. I really enjoyed how diverse the role was here at One Education, as I got the chance to connect with different customers and offer them my help. I was very pleased to be offered a permanent position after I finished my training. My apprenticeship opened doors for me in my work life and beyond, and I am always learning more and more.
Ross Boyne, IT Support Technician
I saw the apprenticeship online and thought it would be a good way to get my foot in the door in the world of IT. I’d been to college previously, but didn’t really enjoy the course so I decided to take my career in another direction. I was drawn to One Education because the role here complemented the requirements of the apprenticeship, and there were also opportunities for additional training on top of it.
As an apprentice, I enjoyed being able to learn new skills in a range of different environments, including the One Education office, the apprenticeship training centre, as well as multiple primary schools. I also liked working first-hand with an experienced team who helped me every step of the way. After completing my training, One Education offered me a permanent position working on the IT helpdesk, and I have since progressed into a full-time on-site engineering role. I feel the apprenticeship prepared me for the future by allowing me to develop life skills in a hands-on working environment, whilst also gaining a recognised qualification.
Thomas Oldham, IT Support Technician
